When Profit Is Placed Above Lives: A Firm Stand Against Opposition to the Sachet Alcohol Ban

The recent protest by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), reportedly backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other labour unions, against the ban on sachet and small-sized alcoholic beverages raises serious concerns about national priorities. The demonstration at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reflects a troubling attempt to place commercial profit above public health, social stability, and moral responsibility.

At the heart of the controversy is a policy that is both timely and necessary. The ban on sachet alcohol is not an arbitrary decision, nor is it an attack on livelihoods, as some protesters suggest. Rather, it is a public health intervention aimed at curbing the widespread abuse of alcohol—particularly among youths and economically vulnerable populations—made possible by the cheap, portable, and highly accessible nature of sachet-sized intoxicants.

While job losses and economic implications are often raised as justifications for opposition, such arguments fail to confront the enormous social cost of alcohol abuse in Nigeria. These costs include rising incidents of violence, road accidents, domestic abuse, health complications, and the gradual erosion of moral and social values. Any serious national conversation must weigh these consequences against commercial interests.

From an Islamic moral standpoint, the issue is unequivocal. Islam provides clear and unambiguous guidance on intoxicants. Allah Almighty declares:

“O you who believe! Intoxicants, gambling, sacrificing to stones, and divination by arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. So avoid it that you may be successful.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:90)

The Qur’an further explains the social harm inherent in alcohol consumption: